CRIME IN RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEMS - AN ANALYSIS AND A RECOMMENDED SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (FROM CRIME AND VANDALISM IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, 1974 - SEE NCJ-35338)

• NCJ Number: 35339
• Author(s): R SHELLOW; J P ROMUALDI; E W BARTEL
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THIS STUDY IS DIRECTED TOWARD IDENTIFYING THE INFLUENCE THAT CRIME HAS ON TRANSIT RIDERSHIP AND TOWARD DEVELOPING MEASURES FOR INCREASING PATRON AND SYSTEM SECURITY ON A MAJOR TRANSIT NETWORK.

Abstract

BECAUSE OF THE PREPONDERANCE OF CRIME AND HARASSMENT ON RAPID TRANSIT AS OPPOSED TO SURFACE TRANSIT, RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DIRECTED TOWARD TEST DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE RAPID TRANSIT SEGMENT OF THE SYSTEM. ALL SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS ARE BASED ON SYSTEMATIC ANALYSES OF TRANSIT CRIME PATTERNS, RIDERSHIP TRENDS, A SURVEY OF PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF TRANSIT CRIME, PRESENT SECURITY MEASURES, AND GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES. PROFILES OF TRANSIT CRIME ARE DERIVED FROM AN 18-MONTH SERIES OF CRIME DATA COLLECTED ON THE SYSTEM. A CRIME-RIDERSHIP INDEX IS EMPLOYED TO MEASURE RISK TO PATRONS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEM. PRESENT INADEQUACIES IN SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE CAPABILITY OF POLICE ARE DESCRIBED. THE QUESTION OF INCREASING MANNED PATROLS AS OPPOSED TO SUBSTITUTING ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL SYSTEMS IS EXAMINED FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF ASSURING PATRONS OF RAPID PROTECTIVE RESPONSE SHOULD AN EMERGENCY ARISE. A PUBLICLY ACTIVATED CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION SYSTEM IS OFFERED AS ONE MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE SECURITY NEEDS ON HIGH-RISK PORTIONS OF THE RAPID TRANSIT NETWORK. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)